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Boone County History and Information |
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When
Boone County was officially established in 1799 (having
been created by the Kentucky Legislature in 1798) from Campbell County , less
than two hundred men owned all of the land in the County
and the population of the County was approximately 1500.
On June 17, 1799 the first county court, held at the
William Cave home in North Bend Bottoms, decided to locate
the county seat on a seventy-four acre site donated by
Robert Johnson and John Hawkins Craig in the north-central
part of the county. The town, originally known as Craig's
Camp, was initially named Wilmington and, at the request
of the Post Office, renamed Burlington in 1816. In January
of 1801, the Boone County Court Order Book notes that "...
Court [was] held for the County of Boone at the Courthouse
. . ." after having met for over a year at homes
in and around the county seat. According to early reports,
this Courthouse was a log building and was used for sixteen
years until a large brick structure, facing Jefferson
Street, was completed in 1817. After being remodeled
several times, this courthouse was demolished and, in
1889, Boone County built its third courthouse, still
in use today.
The County is bordered by Hamilton County, OH (north), Kenton County (east), Grant County (south), Gallatin County (southwest), Switzerland County, IN (west), Ohio County, IN (west), Dearborn County, IN (northwest). Cities, Towns and Communities include Burlington
Florence, Hebron
Petersburg
Union, Walton, Richwood
Verona
Big Bone, Kentucky
Rabbit Hash
Many pioneers arriving during
this first period of settlement migrated from Virginia.
Many were of northern German ancestry and came from the
Germanna communities in Culpepper and Madison counties
of Virginia. Eleven people from that part of Virginia
arrived in Boone County in November 1805 under the leadership
of Ephraim Tanner. The following year, they organized
the Hopeful Lutheran Church in the east-central part
of the county. Other families came after them and settled
in Florence and Hebron (named after Hebron, Virginia),
eventually establishing the Mt. Zion and Hebron Lutheran
Churches. In the northern part of Boone County immigrants
from southwestern Germany settled among the steeply wooded
hillsides and fertile floodplains along the Ohio River
where the landscape is very similar to the Rhine Valley
in Germany.
Perhaps the first European to visit Boone County was a Frenchman who sailed
down the Ohio River in 1729. He highlighted Boone County on his chart with
an inscription in French that translates "where they found the bones of
an elephant." Thus, Big Bone Lick became one of the wonders of the world.
That Frenchman was followed a decade later by Captain Charles de Longueil who
was credited with the first investigation of the Big Bone Lick area. His account
of the huge bones of prehistoric mammals provided incentive for further exploration,
and attracted the attention of the British and early American colonists. The
salt deposits at Big Bone Lick had long been known to the American Indians
and, in 1755, Mary Draper Ingles, the first recorded Euro-American woman to
visit this region, escaped from her Shawnee and French captors while they were
boiling water from the lick to make salt.
France claimed the Ohio Valley until the
end of the French and Indian War. A veteran of that war,
Captain Thomas Bullitt, led surveyors to this territory
in 1773 when it was a part of Fincastle County, Virginia.
In 1789, over a decade after the first settlement in
central Kentucky, John Tanner, a Baptist preacher from
North Carolina, established Tanner's Station, now known
as Petersburg, along the Ohio River. Tanner's Station
was the first formal settlement in what would shortly
become Boone County. The community's name was changed
to Petersburg in 1814. Soon other pioneers occupied tracts
of land above and below Tanner's Station. Many came from
central Kentucky, from what is now Woodford and Scott
counties, and in 1794 seven people founded the Bullittsburg
Baptist Church in the North Bend Bottoms area up river
from Tanner's Station. Bullittsburg Baptist Church is
the longest continuously active church in the county,
still holding worship services in their 1819 sanctuary.
Within a few years, other settlers came
to this area from central Kentucky, perhaps with some
knowledge that a new county would soon be formed. In
c. 1797 Cave Johnson arrived and made his home along
the Ohio River in North Bend Bottoms. Johnson built an
impressive brick home (still in existence and listed
on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988),
became Boone County's first County Clerk in 1799, and
spent time visiting his friend, and future President,
William Henry Harrison who lived across the river. Other
early settlers such as Captain Jacob Piatt and Captain
John Brown, both of whom were Revolutionary War veterans
from New Jersey, received or bought land grants given
for service during the war for independence. Relative
to its population in the years preceding the Civil War,
Boone County had a fairly large slave population. In
1800, the Boone County population consisted of 1194 whites,
325 slaves and 15 free blacks. Local families generally
owned less than ten slaves and master and slave often
worked side by side on Boone County farms. Although poor
treatment of slaves as well as the obvious burden of
enforced servitude is a documented fact, some slaves
in Boone County appear to have been considered trusted
members of the family. Skilled black workers crafted
many historic homes, barns and outbuildings in Boone
County.
Boone County participated in the horrors
of the Civil War. Although Kentucky was officially neutral,
men from the county served on both sides of the conflict.
During the War there were two brief skirmishes in Boone
County, one at Florence in 1862 and one at Snow's Pond
near Walton in 1863. Also in 1863, the famous Confederate
General John Hunt Morgan came through Boone County after
his escape from a Columbus, Ohio prison. Generally speaking,
after the War, men who had fought against each other
for five years returned home and once again became neighbors,
fellow church members, and friends.
As was the case in many communities throughout
the country, the women of Boone County kept families
and farmsteads together during the long years of the
Civil War. The women took on added responsibilities and
dealt with the loss, crippling, and poor health of husbands,
fathers, brothers and sons returning from the War. Some
widows or spinsters, such as Julia Dinsmore, successfully
operated large farms. Miss Julia, as she was known, inherited
her farm, with its 1842 home, numerous outbuildings,
and family cemetery, from her father, James Dinsmore.
The farm was home to five generations of the Dinsmore
family before becoming a non-profit museum in 1988. Fully
and originally furnished and well preserved, the Dinsmore
Homestead is an excellent example of upper middle class
life in nineteenth century Boone County.
.The Official County Website is located at http://www.boonecountyky.org/ .
Some records may have been destroyed in the late 1880s due to a fire.
See Extended History for More information.
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See Also Kentucky Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records
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PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. Some records may have been destroyed in the late 1880s due to a fire. |
Boone County Clerk has Marriage Records from 1798 and Land Records from 1799 and is located at P.O.
Box 874, Burlington,
KY 41005-0874; Phone:
(859) 334-2130, FAX:
(859) 334-3575, [EMAIL] .
The duties of the county clerk are numerous and varied, falling into the general categories of clerical duties of the fiscal court, issuing and registering, recording and keeping records of various legal instruments, election duties, tax duties, transfers, and titling, and issuance of marriage licenses and much more. One of the most important responsibilities of the County Clerk's office is the recording of land records. The most common documents recorded are deeds, mortgages, and assignments and mortgage releases. The other is Marriage Liscenses
Boone County Clerk of the Circuit Court has Probate Records from 1800 and Court Records from 1799 and is located at Courthouse, 2950
Washington Street,
Burlington, KY 41005-0874;
(606) 334-2112 .
The Circuit Clerk's office is responsible for maintaining the records of the circuit court. Divorces, civil litigation, criminal crimes, probate, wills , estates and various other functions.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Court Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Vital Records in Kentucky
Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!
Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics is located at State
Dept of Human Resources, 275 E. Main St. 1EA, Frankfort, KY 40621; (502) 564-4212. They have the following records:
- Birth & Death Certificates:
The Vital Statistics Law of Kentucky, providing for and legalizing the registration of births and deaths, was enacted by the General Assembly of 1910 and became effective Jan. 1, 1911.
The Office of Vital Statistics has no records of births and deaths occurring prior to the above date except delayed records of births for those born before 1911, which have been established by affidavits and documentary evidence.Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates or Death Certificates . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
- Marriage & Divorce Certificates: Central registration of marriages and divorces began in Kentucky in June 1958. The Office of Vital Statistics has no records of marriages and divorces prior to that date. Copies of marriage certificates prior to June 1958 may be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the license was issued. Records of divorce proceedings are available from the Boone County clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree.You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates or Divorce Certificates . You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
Cost of certificates: Birth: $10 per certificate;
Death, Marriage and Divorce are $6 per certificate
In Person: You can stop in the office at 275 E. Main St. in Frankfort and obtain a certified copy of a birth, death, marriage or divorce certificate by completing an application form between the hours of 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. EST, Monday-Friday. There is approximately a one-hour wait to receive the certificate.
Directions to Vital Statistics Office
By Mail: Mail a check or money order (no cash) payable to the "Kentucky State Treasurer" along with the necessary information to the following address: Office of Vital Statistics, 275 E. Main St. 1E-A, Frankfort, KY 40621. Please include return address on envelope and application form.
Processing Time: Please allow up to approximately 30 working days for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail.
Birth Records: Expect longer delays during peak request periods from May through September. You should request certified copies of your birth certificate early enough to avoid delays if you are planning retirement, sporting events for the children, travel/passports, children entering school for the first time, etc.
Death Records: There may be delays in issuing new certified death certificates if the original certificate is not promptly filed in Frankfort by the funeral homes. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
Phone, Fax, On-Line, or Credit Card: To obtain a certified copy of a vital record by phone, fax, on-line or purchase with a credit card, please link to VitalChek. There is an additional $10.50 fee for all credit card purchases. Discover, Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted. If faster delivery is required, you may wish to have the certified copy sent by Federal Express. Please state this when placing the order for the copy. There is an additional fee for this service.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Research In Census Records
Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Boone County, Kentucky are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Earlier U.S. censuses for Kentucky were destroyed, but published tax lists serve as a replacements for the lost 1790 and 1800 censuses. Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Boone County, Kentucky are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890 but only returns for sixty-five Kentucky counties remain of the 1890 Union veterans and widows schedule of the federal census of Kentucky.
Statewide Records that exist for Kentucky are 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. Earlier U.S. censuses for Kentucky were destroyed, but published tax lists serve as a replacements for the lost 1790 and 1800 censuses. Extracts and indexes for many of Kentucky's censuses have been compiled and published. Original or microfilm copies of the federal census returns are available at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Several Kentucky indexes to censuses predate those published by AISI.
State School Census for Kentucky infrequently enumerated public school students beginning in 1888. Scattered records are at the office of the respective county Board of Health or Board of Education. Some are maintained by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the Kentucky Historical Society.
See Also Statewide Records that exist for Kentucky
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Kentucky and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for Kentucky showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for Kentucky showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Kentucky Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect...
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Maps. Email us with websites containing Boone County Maps by clicking the link below:
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See Also Military Records in Kentucky
The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design. A list of Wars fought on American.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Military Records by clicking the link below:
- Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
- Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
- Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
- Southern Claims Commission from the State of Kentucky (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
- Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Kentucky (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
- Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the CSA (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from southern units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.
- Kentucky Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, 323 High Str, Paris, Ky, 40361;(859) 987- 1788
- National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution,
- Kentucky Society of Sons of the American Revolution,
- National Society of Sons of the American Revolution, 1000 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40203; (502) 589-1776
- Boone County, Kentucky Military Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Research In Tax Records
One of the most valuable sources for early Kentucky until 1892 is its tax records. Most counties have yearly tax records from the date of organization. Some early tax schedules list watercourse, value and acreage of real estate, men over twenty-one, young men between sixteen and twenty-one, slaves, and horses. Extant county tax schedules from the date of organization of the county through 1892 have been microfilmed for most counties and are available from the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives and the FHL.
Numerous original tax records from 1892 are available at the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. The Kentucky Historical Society has tax records to 1875.
Kentucky tax lists are arranged by county and date. Within the counties, residents within its districts are grouped together and names usually arranged under the beginning letter of the surname, although these are not in strict alphabetical order. Some early tax records have been published and are available in research libraries.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
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See Also Other Kentucky Genealogical Addresses
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Boone County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
- Boone
County Historical Society, PO
Box 23, Florence,
KY 41022-0023
- Northern Kentucky Historical
Society,
Box 151,
Fort Thomas, Kentucky 41075
- Public
Library - Historical Research ,
Scheben Branch,
8899 HWY 42,
Union, KY, 41091;
(859)384-5550
- Local Kentucky Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
- The Kentucky Historical Society, 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601; 877-444-7867,[EMAIL]
- The Kentucky Genealogical Society, PO Box 153, Frankfort, KY 40602-0153 [EMAIL]
- Kentucky Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
- Kentucky Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Kentucky
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Click Here to Search Kentucky Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships. |
There are many churches and cemeteries in Boone County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Boone County Tombstone Transcription Project.
Church membership of early Kentuckians include Baptist, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic. Some church records were published, others were microfilmed, some are housed in church repositories, but many remain in the local church. Church records and histories may be found in periodicals pertaining to Kentucky. Repositories include the DAR Library, the FHL, Kentucky Historical Society, University of Kentucky Library, and Filson Club Library.
Many
collections of cemetery records are available for Kentucky.
In 1977 the Kentucky Historical Society began computerizing
extant cemetery records for the state. Cemetery tombstone transcriptions
are included in the Ardery collection.
Kentucky regional libraries and some other large genealogical
libraries outside the state have collections of Kentucky cemetery
transcriptions. In addition, publications pertaining to Kentucky
and Kentuckians frequently contain cemetery records for the
state.
Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Boone County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
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When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Boone County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Boone County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
- Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
- Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
- Sites on USGenweb: [ Boone County ] [ Kentucky ] [ Main Page ]
- [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
- Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
- Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
- Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
- Kentucky Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
- Boone County, Kentucky Family Books at Amazon.com
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Introduction
Located in the largest bend of the Ohio River, a few miles downstream from Cincinnati, Boone County is the northernmost county in Kentucky. For forty-two miles the Ohio River bounds the county on the north and west. As in most sections of the outer Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, the land in Boone County is gently rolling to steeply hilly. Historically, Boone County's economy was driven by agriculture, with corn, soybeans, produce, tobacco, and livestock being the principal cash crops. The land is drained by numerous small streams that flow west and north into the Ohio River from headwaters along the Great Ridge, or Dry Ridge Divide. The Dry Ridge Divide runs north-south just inside the eastern boundary of the county and has long served as both an ancient and modern transportation corridor (today's U.S. 25 or Dixie Highway) connecting Cincinnati and Lexington. The development of the airport in Boone County in 1947 and Interstate 71/75 in the 1960s accelerated the suburban growth that began about 1950. Today, residential, commercial, and industrial development is changing the rural landscape of Boone County.
The Earliest Days
Boone County has a significant prehistoric heritage. Glacial activity from long ago left substantial gravel and limestone deposits along today's Ohio River as well as natural wonders formed from glacial outwash such as Split Rock, at the mouth of Woolper Creek, and Boone Cliffs, along Middle Creek. Archaeological research has demonstrated that Boone County has been populated for thousands of years. Prehistoric Indian burial mounds, villages, and hunting sites are located throughout the county along the river and creeks as well as in the uplands. Today's town of Petersburg, for example, was a large late prehistoric village site with at least two periods of habitation dating to c. 1150 A.D. and c. 1400 A.D.
The prehistoric Indian cultures who inhabited Boone County may well have been the ancestors of those Indians popularly known as Native Americans. Perhaps the first European to visit Boone County was a Frenchman who sailed down the Ohio River in 1729. He highlighted Boone County on his chart with an inscription in French that translates "where they found the bones of an elephant." Thus, Big Bone Lick became one of the wonders of the world. That Frenchman was followed a decade later by Captain Charles de Longueil who was credited with the first investigation of the Big Bone Lick area. His account of the huge bones of prehistoric mammals provided incentive for further exploration, and attracted the attention of the British and early American colonists. The salt deposits at Big Bone Lick had long been known to the American Indians and, in 1755, Mary Draper Ingles, the first recorded Euro-American woman to visit this region, escaped from her Shawnee and French captors while they were boiling water from the lick to make salt.France claimed the Ohio Valley until the end of the French and Indian War. A veteran of that war, Captain Thomas Bullitt, led surveyors to this territory in 1773 when it was a part of Fincastle County, Virginia. In 1789, over a decade after the first settlement in central Kentucky, John Tanner, a Baptist preacher from North Carolina, established Tanner's Station, now known as Petersburg, along the Ohio River. Tanner's Station was the first formal settlement in what would shortly become Boone County. The community's name was changed to Petersburg in 1814. Soon other pioneers occupied tracts of land above and below Tanner's Station. Many came from central Kentucky, from what is now Woodford and Scott counties, and in 1794 seven people founded the Bullittsburg Baptist Church in the North Bend Bottoms area up river from Tanner's Station. Bullittsburg Baptist Church is the longest continuously active church in the county, still holding worship services in their 1819 sanctuary. Within a few years, other settlers came to this area from central Kentucky, perhaps with some knowledge that a new county would soon be formed. In c. 1797 Cave Johnson arrived and made his home along the Ohio River in North Bend Bottoms. Johnson built an impressive brick home (still in existence and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988), became Boone County's first County Clerk in 1799, and spent time visiting his friend, and future President, William Henry Harrison who lived across the river. Other early settlers such as Captain Jacob Piatt and Captain John Brown, both of whom were Revolutionary War veterans from New Jersey, received or bought land grants given for service during the war for independence.
Boone County Established
When Boone County was officially established in 1799 (having been created by the Kentucky Legislature in 1798), less than two hundred men owned all of the land in the County and the population of the County was approximately 1500. On June 17, 1799 the first county court, held at the William Cave home in North Bend Bottoms, decided to locate the county seat on a seventy-four acre site donated by Robert Johnson and John Hawkins Craig in the north-central part of the county. The town, originally known as Craig's Camp, was initially named Wilmington and, at the request of the Post Office, renamed Burlington in 1816. In January of 1801, the Boone County Court Order Book notes that "... Court [was] held for the County of Boone at the Courthouse . . ." after having met for over a year at homes in and around the county seat. According to early reports, this Courthouse was a log building and was used for sixteen years until a large brick structure, facing Jefferson Street, was completed in 1817. After being remodeled several times, this courthouse was demolished and, in 1889, Boone County built its third courthouse, still in use today. Many pioneers arriving during this first period of settlement migrated from Virginia. Many were of northern German ancestry and came from the Germanna communities in Culpepper and Madison counties of Virginia. Eleven people from that part of Virginia arrived in Boone County in November 1805 under the leadership of Ephraim Tanner. The following year, they organized the Hopeful Lutheran Church in the east-central part of the county. Other families came after them and settled in Florence and Hebron (named after Hebron, Virginia), eventually establishing the Mt. Zion and Hebron Lutheran Churches. In the northern part of Boone County immigrants from southwestern Germany settled among the steeply wooded hillsides and fertile floodplains along the Ohio River where the landscape is very similar to the Rhine Valley in Germany.
Ohio River Influence
In its earliest days, Boone County prospered largely because of the Ohio River that forms its northern and western boundaries. At one time there were six major ferry crossings to the opposite shores of Ohio and Indiana, and at least as many shipping points with warehouses. The c. 1817 Anderson Ferry at Constance, along the county's northern river edge, has been in continuous year-round operation for almost two hundred years and is today one of only three full-time ferry operations remaining along the entire stretch of the Ohio River.Nineteenth century agricultural activity in Boone County was dominated by largely subsistence farming but a surplus of goods produced and easy access to river shipping routes provided the opportunity for extra income. The floodplain fields in East Bend Bottoms and North Bend Bottoms feature rich soils and continue to be the sites of some of Boone County's largest twentieth century farms. Most nineteenth century farms were 50-150 acres and had diversified production that included row crops, livestock, a dairy herd, and a tobacco base. Larger farms sometimes specialized in raising imported stock with prized bloodlines. The twentieth century truck farms of North Bend Bottoms (also known as the "fruit belt") have given way to popular farm markets along scenic Route 8. These markets continue to provide locally grown produce and flowers to the surrounding urban population and are a growing tourist destination.Early county industrial activity included distilleries at Petersburg and Hamilton, and the building of steamboats at Big Bone and Belleview. Inland, the waters of Gunpowder, Woolper, Middle, Mud Lick and other creeks were harnessed by the development of grist mills, grinding corn to meal and wheat to flour. Blacksmiths, sawmills, and general stores flourished at crossroads communities serving neighboring farmers who cleared forests and cultivated grain in the rich soil.
Petersburg was the largest community in Boone County until the Civil War and the coming of the railroad. The town featured a well laid-out grid street plan, the large Boone County Distilling Company, several other smaller industries, two inns, many active community businesses and a bustling riverfront. Petersburg retains many fine examples of early Boone County building traditions, both residential and commercial.
Further south in Boone County, other familiar communities had their beginnings as well. In the mid-1790s, Archibald Reid was active in the early government of Campbell County (founded in 1795), and owned considerable land near today's Walton. Reid became one of Boone County's first justices in 1799. He also apparently established a distillery and a tavern house. Abner Gaines purchased the property from Reid in c.1813. Gaines continued to operate a tavern and inn, building a striking new house, preserved today, in c. 1814. Abner Gaines was a Boone County Justice from 1805 to 1817, at which time he was appointed Sheriff. Gaines also became the proprietor of the first stagecoach line that carried mail and passengers between Cincinnati and Lexington; a thirty-four hour trip in 1818. His oldest son, James Matthews Gaines, became the first postmaster for the community referred to as Gaines Cross Roads in 1815. The Kentucky Legislature renamed the town Walton in 1840. In the central part of Boone County, the Aylor, Fowler, Stansifers and Steers families were among those contributing to the early settlement of the Union area along Fowler's Branch of Gunpowder Creek. In c. 1817 Benjamin Piatt Fowler built a magnificent stone house on part of his father's 5000 acres and, in 1818, Revolutionary War veteran Hugh Steers (buried on the eighteenth green of today's Lassing Pointe Golf Course), donated land for the Bethel Baptist Church on Frogtown Road. Union developed at the crossroads of the Covington-Louisville Road and the Gaines Old Stand-Visalia Road and was designated a United States Post Office in 1830. The early farms had ready access to the Ohio River and its river markets, and most appear to have thrived in nineteenth century Boone County. The towns along the river, such as Constance, Taylorsport, Petersburg, Belleview , and Rabbit Hash, however, failed to develop as trade centers for the interior of the state. They instead became specialized centers for cross-river ferry traffic, post offices, general stores and businesses that served the needs of the surrounding rural population. The fertile floodplain along the Ohio River in Boone County seems to have attracted those settlers who were more interested in agriculture than in commerce, but there are other reasons, including geography and the nearby development of Cincinnati, for the lack of commercial growth in Boone County.
Geographic Diversity
Despite Boone County's proximity to Cincinnati, its nineteenth century development was largely isolated from that of its more urban neighbor. Early in its history, Cincinnati became the chief metropolitan focus for the central Ohio River Valley because of the reputation as a fortified settlement offering protection from Indian attacks, its role as a stopping point for westward bound settlers, and the feature of a large floodplain, suitable for expansion. The population of Cincinnati in 1800 was 750 while that of Boone County was 1,534 but, between 1800 and 1820, the population of Cincinnati took the lead.The Kentucky cities along the Ohio River that became successful gateways to central Kentucky were either closer to the geographic center of the state, such as Maysville and Carrollton, or opposite the Ohio from Cincinnati, such as Newport and Covington. Even Boone County's potential advantage of having a major transportation corridor, the Dry Ridge Divide, pass through its border seems to have had a minimal effect on the county's economic growth until recent years.In the mid-nineteenth century, the southern part of Boone County saw an influx of Irish immigrants who were no doubt escaping the famine in Ireland. A substantial Irish population developed in Verona, where the newly arrived Boone Countians established St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The skilled Irish craftsmen may have constructed many of the stone fences once prominent along southern county turnpikes. Boone County's Irish- Americans became prosperous in their new home and contributed much to the heritage of southern Boone County.Florence, a major crossroads community, was established at the intersection of roads from Covington to Louisville and Lexington. Ten miles from Covington, it eventually became the first stagecoach stop on the trip south. In the early years of development, Florence was known as Crossroads, Polecat, Maddensville, and finally Connersville, under which a Post Office was established in 1828. The Post Office again caused the name of the community to change, and it became Florence in 1830. The Covington and Lexington Turnpike brought a tremendous amount of traffic through Florence and its nickname of "Stringtown" may well refer to the many businesses and services that sprung up along the turnpike. The mid- to late twentieth century brought tremendous growth to Florence as it became a regional commercial and retail hub.
The Civil War Years
Relative to its population in the years preceding the Civil War, Boone County had a fairly large slave population. In 1800, the Boone County population consisted of 1194 whites, 325 slaves and 15 free blacks. Local families generally owned less than ten slaves and master and slave often worked side by side on Boone County farms. Although poor treatment of slaves as well as the obvious burden of enforced servitude is a documented fact, some slaves in Boone County appear to have been considered trusted members of the family. Skilled black workers crafted many historic homes, barns and outbuildings in Boone County.
Boone County participated in the horrors of the Civil War. Although Kentucky was officially neutral, men from the county served on both sides of the conflict. During the War there were two brief skirmishes in Boone County, one at Florence in 1862 and one at Snow's Pond near Walton in 1863. Also in 1863, the famous Confederate General John Hunt Morgan came through Boone County after his escape from a Columbus, Ohio prison. Generally speaking, after the War, men who had fought against each other for five years returned home and once again became neighbors, fellow church members, and friends.As was the case in many communities throughout the country, the women of Boone County kept families and farmsteads together during the long years of the Civil War. The women took on added responsibilities and dealt with the loss, crippling, and poor health of husbands, fathers, brothers and sons returning from the War. Some widows or spinsters, such as Julia Dinsmore, successfully operated large farms. Miss Julia, as she was known, inherited her farm, with its 1842 home, numerous outbuildings, and family cemetery, from her father, James Dinsmore. The farm was home to five generations of the Dinsmore family before becoming a non-profit museum in 1988. Fully and originally furnished and well preserved, the Dinsmore Homestead is an excellent example of upper middle class life in nineteenth century Boone County.
A Changing Landscape
With the completion of the first rail lines through the county in 1869, the town of Walton held great promise as the county's primary railroad community. By the late nineteenth century, it was the Boone County's largest city with a population of 538. The architectural landscape of Walton is an excellent showcase for building styles and innovations that were popular around the turn of the century and into the 1920s. Walton's downtown has suffered several disastrous fires, including one in 1876, another in the early twentieth century, a third in 1971 and, finally, the loss of the former City Building in 1983. Walton has the positive distinction of being home to the first county high school, established in 1901, currently in active use as apartments. A recent Main Street revitalization effort has brought new life to Walton as well as a deeper recognition of its distinctive heritage.Throughout Boone County, many small communities were centered around churches, schools, grange stores and low key commercial concerns. Some small communities, such as Devon, Landing, Hume and Hamilton, were even official Post Office sites while towns such as Berkshire, Grange Hall, Gunpowder, and Gainesville are only names on the back of an old picture, part of family legends or simply a memory. Some Boone County communities retain their sense of identity even though commercial activity has long since disappeared; among those are Bullittsville, Beaver, Francisville, Big Bone, and Limaburg. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, young and old left Boone County farms for work in the city, and shopping "over the river" became the popular thing to do as the railroad through Richwood, Walton and Verona offered extensive passenger schedules. When the new school was built in Verona in 1914, students from the counties to the south would ride the train daily to attend classes. In the late 1880s, the town of Erlanger was established across the county line from Florence. The railroad promoted the sale of land near its right-of-way, and Florence's population fell 24 percent at the turn of the century, and remained so until 1930. With the advent of automobile, long, tiresome journeys to the city, over the river road through Constance or the Dixie Highway through Florence, became short and enjoyable. It became possible to work in the city and live in Boone County. It was the beginning of a new era.
The Recent Years
The population of Boone County grew slowly between the Civil War and the 1890s and then declined slowly until the great population surge that began in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The average farm size fluctuated little throughout the twentieth century from 93 acres in 1900 to 102 acres in 1969. Today, county acreage devoted to agriculture is steadily decreasing. Despite rapid development, the horse community in Boone C | | |
